Academia vs Industry | #2

So, I briefly mentioned in my last post the dichotomy between my experiences at school and my experience in industry this summer. At school, I often rely on my peers for support academically, whether it be through studying together or working on group projects — but in the end, everyone is focused on their personal ambitions, rightfully more so than they are on the ambitions of others. I have always been an advocate for collaboration, but never really experienced it in the way I have at Apple. Everyone is focused on one communal goal, which is making the best product. With the notions of peer-to-peer competition and personal achievement out of the way, collaboration is able to blossom in a way that really isn’t possible in an academic environment, except for possibly in research. This has been a wonderful, healthier environment for me to work in and I look forward to returning to industry in the future.